ISSUE No. 82 april 2017 Dapei Kesher Beit Theresienstadt Theresienstadt Martyrs Remembrance Association

Social Solidarity in Ghetto Theresienstadt

THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION Yours 3 News from Beit Theresienstadt 4-8 The Education Center 9 Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony – the Torch lighters 10 Archives 12 -13 14-15

AT BEIT THERESIENSTADT

IN THIS ISSUE

At Beit Theresienstadt 2 Archives 12-13 Yours 3 Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck – Spiritual Leader in News from Beit Theresienstadt 4-8 Ghetto Theresienstadt (1943 – 1945) by The Education Center 9 Dr. Margalit Shlain 14-15 Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony The Torch lighters 10

Editors: BT team Design: Studio Orni Drori, Haifa Translation: M&Ch Livni Photography: BT team, Efrat Eshel

לוח אירועים Events Calendar אביב תשע״ז ˇ אפריל-מאי 2017 12.5.2017 24.4.2017 20.4.2017 יום חמישי - Thursday יום שני - Monday יום שישי - Friday 09:00 09:45 17:00 International Meeting Holocaust Memorial Day “Many Faces of heroism, but one meaning of life”

International Meeting and Annual Assembly On the subject of “Social Solidarity”. To be held An evening dedicated to Alisa Ehrmann-Shek. of the Theresienstadt Martyrs Remembrance in collaboration with the soldiers from the Combat Documenting secretly the last few months of Association. Fitness School, Police and volunteers of Israel Theresienstadt Ghetto. Police Traffic Department.

Place: Beit Theresienstadt Place: Beit Theresienstadt Place: Dan Tel Aviv Hotel "פנים רבות לגבורה, אך משמעות אחת טקס יום הזיכרון כנס שנתי לחיים" - יומן טרזין לשואה ולגבורה

ערב מוקדש לעליזה אהרמן-ש“ק, גיבורה המתעדת בסימן "סולידריות חברתית"שייערך בשיתוף עם חיילים אסיפה שנתית של הקרן להנצחת זכר חללי גטו טרזין. בסתר את החודשים האחרונים בגטו טרזיינשטאט. ומפקדים מבית הספר לכושר קרבי בצה“ל, שוטרים ומתנדבים מזרוע מרכז של אגף התנועה.

מיקום: מלון דן תל אביב מיקום: בית טרזין מיקום: בית טרזין להרשמה: [email protected] 04-6369515 נשמח לראותכם בין אורחינו!

בית טרזין, קרן להנצחת זכר חללי גטו טרזיינשטאט [ע.ר.] ˇ גבעת חיים איחוד, ד.נ. עמק חפר, 3893500

טל: 04-6369515 פקס: www.bterezin.org.il ˇ [email protected] ˇ 04-6369793 בה“ד 8 המשרד לשיוויון חברתי

Details on events will be sent by regular and by electronic mail on your request For further details contact Beit Theresienstadt, phone:+972-4-6369515 e-mail: [email protected]

2 News Letter THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION YOURS, TAMI

To all members and friends of Beit Theresienstadt

The ceremony of Holocaust Remembrance Day will be dedicated It is true that this is a small part of this year to social solidarity in ghetto Theresienstadt. It seems the picture, but one has to know that today social solidarity is not very popular. Israeli society is that this kind of behavior exists torn apart; various groups try to segregate themselves instead too. And returning to the subject of getting closer to each other, searching for common values. of Holocaust Remembrance Day All over the world segregation is on the rise, isolation grows ceremony – social solidarity and with it the trend of burying the head in the sand, simply in ghetto Theresienstadt – we not to see refugees and emigrants and not to help those speak there about helping old, in need. All this is on the surface. Below the surface many weak and needy people. Of course there were also cases of people try to help, seeing their work as a humane mission and exploiting weakness, theft from old people, contemptuous obligation. These days I returned from a journey to the area behavior towards those not belonging to the "correct group of Siegen in Germany, in preparation for a meeting of Israeli "and so forth. But when speaking about the ghetto we chose and German youth led by Bet Theresienstadt. I saw there lot of to tell specifically about those who helped, who forewent their encouraging and inspiring things. I was the guest of a German rations for someone who needed it more. Protestant family. These are the stories we want to use for education because At the outskirts of town there is a school building that was we want to live in a better world, optimistic and giving hope. made into a home for refugees. My host and their neighbors In this issue we remember Dr. Leo Baeck who was part of the volunteer to help the refugees, the refugees’ children study at system of aid and support in the ghetto, and the event held, the local school, which we visited. Among the names of the marking the 60th anniversary of his death. Social solidarity students there are Muslim and Turkish ones and entering the can be seen also at the moving meeting on Hanukka between classroom it is hard to see differences between the students. young musicians and the old-timers of Beit Theresienstadt, The children of the refugees and immigrants are an organic Holocaust survivors. The words written by two of the part of the class. In Dortmund we visited a school with agenda: participants testify to the strong connection that evolved “A school without racism, a school with courage”. Following between the generations. a violent incident between Neo-Nazis and immigrants the students decided to do something about it. At the end of February Lisa Gidron (Wurzel) passed away at age 97. Lisa was a councilor at a children’s home in the At their school, they created an exhibition about the story of ghetto and after immigrating to Israel she wrote one of the a Jewish family who had lived in their neighborhood during first books of testimony about ghetto Theresienstadt, together the Holocaust. The exhibition depicts the rise of the Nazis to with Hanka Fischel (edited by Yehuda Raznicenko). This little power and the meaning of the anti-Jewish laws. The students book is one of the important sources of knowledge used prepared various activities and they guide visitors through by councilors of Beit Theresienstadt for their work at the the exhibition. Among other things they built models of ghetto museum. Lisa maintained contact throughout the year. We will Theresienstadt and of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration not forget her. The book “Theresienstadt” (Hebrew) can be camp, where the family that is the basis of the exhibition, was read at the website of Beit Theresienstadt under the tag – deported. Other schools take their students for visits to the Publications/Online Library. exhibition and expose them to the subject in the framework of the fight against racism and anti-Semitism. Yours, Tami Kinberg

THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION News Letter 3 NEWS FROM BEIT THERESIENSTADT

75 Years since the Establishment of Ghetto Theresienstadt

wo central events were held in the months November T– December 2016 to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of ghetto Theresienstadt. On November 21, 2016, the event “Tslilim shel Esh veTikva” (Tunes of Fire and Hope) was held, in cooperation with Yad Vashem. The event included a guided tour at the museum: at 6 stations in the museum musical pieces by composers from ghetto Theresienstadt were played, including some by Viktor Ullmann, Gideon Klein, Siegmund Schul and Hans Krasa. The renown violinist Eyal Shiloach and the young, talented cellist Asif Bines performed under the baton of Dan Rapoport, who also played the clarinet. Various works were played, in addition to music written and orchestrated in ghetto Theresienstadt there were also some pieces from before the war, fragments influenced Dan Rapoport told the exceptional story of the prisoners and by Chassidic music and Israeli songs. The tour ended in the artists of Theresienstadt, demonstrated the special beauty of Hall of Names with the composition “Blow the Big Shofar the compositions they created and the power of music that for our Freedom” by Siegmund Schul . From the top of the called very many Theresienstadt prisoners to embrace life huge dome opposite the pictures of the countless faces with all their strength and to believe in the good again. At the of victims the ancient verse echoed into the space below. conclusion of the concert the survivors received Certificates In the beginning of December a concert for survivors of of Appreciation for their activities throughout many years, ghetto Theresienstadt took place. Here, too, the violinist Eyal perpetuating the story of ghetto Theresienstadt. The opera Shiloach and the cellist Asif Bines played, with Dan Rapoport singer Alexandra Esther Wilson performed the work “Rest my on the clarinet. Through the music, accompanied by pictures, Son” and “Blow the Big Shofar for our Freedom”.

Accordion Performance

or many years the late Shmuel sang and played music as well. Pavel Koren, who did much FBloch, survivor of ghetto for the success of this event, excited the audience, playing Theresienstadt and one of the the accordion he had received from Shmuel. The music was founders of Beit Theresienstadt, accompanied by stories and pictures from Shmuel’s life. The and his accordion were connection of Shmuel to the children’s opera “Brundibar” was an indivisible part of Beit highlighted, including his efforts to have it performed in Israel, Theresienstadt’s events. After reaching the young generation, as part of their studies about his death his children decided ghetto Theresienstadt and the Holocaust. to erect a memorial for him at the music center of Zichron Yaakov, where he settled after immigrating to Israel and where he took intense part in cultural activities. In 2008 Shmuel was awarded the title of “Honored citizen” for his work at the culture department of Zichron Yaakov. The mythological accordion, to the tunes of which generations of children in Zichron Yaakov sang and studied music, was displayed in a glass case beside Shmuel’s story. Shmuel was born in Plzen, today in the Czech Republic. The dedication of the memorial was held at an evening of variegated music, performed by youngsters and grown-ups. From the children’s choir “Kolot Hamaayan” to the Klesmer ensemble “Matok Midvash”. It turned out that the musical talent was inherited in the family and the grandchildren

4 News Letter THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION NEWS FROM BEIT THERESIENSTADT

Liberal Judaisem, Than and Now

n the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the death of Orabbi Leo Baeck, Beit Theresienstadt, together with the Leo Baeck Institute in Jerusalem and with the Association of Israelis of Central European Origin, held a special evening in his memory. The event began with a greeting by Dr. Gabriel Alexander, representing the Association of Israelis of Central European Origin and the Deputy Ambassador of Germany in Israel, Ms. Monika Iwersen.

Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck was the spiritual leader of progressive Jewry in Germany, and it was only natural to relate to his Dr. Margalit Shlain enlightened the audience with a short memory in the face of interesting processes taking place but fascinating lecture about rabbi Leo Baeck in ghetto today in liberal Jewry, which attempts to adapt itself to the Theresienstadt (see detailed article on page 14). At the event changes of our times. The fascinating panel moderated by the singers Edan Hadad, Naama Gelbert, Einat Biron and Maya prof. Shmuel Feiner from Bar Ilan University (chairman of Sapiro-Taien, accompanied by Assaf Markovich, performed the Leo Baeck Institute), consisted of prof. Moshe Halbertal cabaret songs and popular music from ghetto Theresienstadt, from the Hebrew University, Dr. Hillel Ben Sasson from JTS all of the above had attended the seminar “History, Music and (Jewish Theological School) in New York, Mr. Rani Jaeger Remembrance” at Beit Theresienstadt in 2015. Daniel Talmor from the Hartman Institute, rabbi Gabi Dagan from the Leo played the piano. The songs were chosen from the repertoire Baeck Education Center in Haifa and prof. Ruhama Weiss of the concluding event of the seminar. from the Hebrew Union College. The discussion dealt with For those interested to view, the whole event is available at the essence of liberalism, separation of religion and state, Leo Baeck Institute website: freedom and religion, liberal commentary of texts like the Talmud, secular seminaries, religious feminism and more. http://www.leobaeck.org/2016/12/08

THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION News Letter 5 NEWS FROM BEIT THERESIENSTADT

“Song expels the Darkness”

he seminar “History, Music and Remembrance” was held significant representation of youth from Emek Hefer. Boys and Tdifferently from those in the past, in cooperation with girls, religiously observant and secular, singing and playing “Mekorock Israel”, a national project combining study of multiple instruments. The title chosen, “Song expels the Jewish sources in an experiential way, with original musical Darkness”, connected the Hanukka holiday - feast of lights creation. The textual direction of the seminar was directed - to sources of inspiration from the history of the Jewish by Noga Cohen from kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon, the musical people – Joseph in the pit, slavery in Egypt, the destruction director was the artist Miki Shaviv, guided by the professional of the Temple as described in the Book of Lamentations up team of Beit Theresienstadt and David Aviv, founder and to the impossible reality of the Jews in ghetto Theresienstadt director of Mekorock. during the Holocaust, documented through pictures, texts and rich creation. From this heavy load the young people blended The seminar was held during the Hanukka vacation and was through present-day writing 12 songs, touching their personal attended by young musicians from all over Israel – Upper lives, with their young view of the past. In the framework of Nazareth in the North to Beer Sheva in the South, with a the seminar the participants met Dita Kraus, a ghetto survivor,

Ori-David Wrote: Night Sun The seminar, in addition to Text and music: Ori-David Mussai studying, was an emotionally and spiritually exciting experience As I got up, darkness hit me, jolting my routine. I got to know I drowned in my own Nile new people of my age from all over And in my room, shackled within the country, I got connected with the ghetto bars them and we worked together for What is my name among a million a week, we slept, showered, ate, And through them out of an inner smile of names? laughed and we also… cried and all of I remembered the name I was given by this together. We learned about life in my parents, the meaning of me in their I am light, the sun of night ghetto Theresienstadt, we heard the life – I am light! Burning in my heart of hope terrible story and, on the other hand, In addition to learning about the I am a song we were exposed to spiritual and ghetto, we dealt with stories of national My voice will save me from the fall creative fortitude in the ghetto. I felt catastrophes from the bible, starting there was plenty of light thanks to this with the selling of Joseph as a slave, While lying down I opened my eyes "togetherness". slavery in Egypt up to the destruction I pulled myself out of the water On the second evening of the seminar of the Temple. We were asked to gain And in my dream there stands a we met Dita who had survived ghetto inspiration from these sources as well. wall Theresienstadt. She told us her I not only wrote the text but also I climb on it, I won the war fascinating story. Throughout her composed the melody of the song testimony she had that radiant smile and that excited me very much. All I am light, the sun of night that inspired me very much when the participants of the seminar helped Hope burns in the heart writing my song. Dita helped me to one another. At the conclusion of I am a song reach the conclusion that there is light the seminar we appeared in front of My voice will save me from the fall in all of us, in all of us is the strength to Holocaust survivors, among them Dita, smile, even after living through horror. who was sitting in the audience. For Even walking in the valley of death I looked inside, into myself, and I looked me it was a very meaningful closing of I will not fear evil at her smile. I understood that we are a circle. Light … similar. I put myself in her place, locked The whole week was held in the light inside the ghetto fences, wondering of the Hanukka candles, every day we what my place is among the millions of lit one more, more light empowering Jews who went through the Holocaust. the experience.

6 News Letter THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION NEWS FROM BEIT THERESIENSTADT

and listened to her story. Naftali Harpaz, the coordinator of the project, wrote: It was fascinating to feel how the words crystallized, were painted with tunes and beats and became songs. Strong songs, beating, exciting and full of depth and content. This was a wonderful process, culminating in an event in front of survivors of ghetto Theresienstadt. I looked at the eyes of the survivors during the performance of the songs - there were tears of excitement. The young people succeeded to collect pieces of life and excitement from a ghetto they never were in and this way they touched raw nerves of the ghetto survivors. They told them in fact: we are here, boys and girls in Israel of 70 years, we feel with you and do not turn away. “The generationafter… with much pride, with broad shoulders … with spread wings.” (From the song by Gal Nahmani). The songs created by the participants of the seminar were recorded and made into a CD. Those interested to order it should contact Beit Theresienstadt. In the following are two of the songs and remarks by the young musicians.

Let Me Fall Quietly Malchut Yam wrote: Text: Malchut Yam Keshet While writing the song I felt Tune: Malchut Yam and Naftali Harpaz that I am unable to write from the viewpoint of people in the I know you stories we had learned. I know what you want to hear I do not want to give you I understood that, when I That sigh of admiration want to write something that Because I can identify with, it has to There is art in the ghetto be something relevant for me Love in Egypt today. Life after a terror attack I can’t stand crisis as growth In the song I tried to bring out the voice of First let me break down people who are not able to get out rapidly from Into shards the hardships, from the trauma. Though they feel To discover the abyss that opened up an obligation to grow (like for instance a family And remained that lost their son in an attack and the whole country looks at them), but first of all they have Instead of going on to try to feel the pain. To fill the pit with artificial hope Cry over the destruction I feel that often people take the “growth out Over the shards that are we of a crisis” too far and make it into “a crisis as Because not always there is growth”, like I wrote in the song. Not enough space is given to the “Holocaust” but rather it is Art in the ghetto made instantly into “resurrection”. Love in Egypt Life after an attack

THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION News Letter 7 THE EDUCATION CENTER

The Exhibition “The Brown Cardboard File”

arking International Holocaust Remembrance Day M(January 27), on January 25, 2017 the exhibition “The Brown Cardboard File” was opened at the Municipal Gallery in Hadera. At the opening event the deputy mayor, Ms Hedva Yehezkeli, the curator of the exhibition, Ruth Lubin and the director of the archives of Beit Theresienstadt Ms. Sima Shachar attended. The exhibition displays creations by various artists from Israel and abroad, made on brown cardboard files, as a tribute to the work by Felix (Ferdinand) Bloch, who in 1943 in Theresienstadt, described in his drawings – on a brown cardboard file – life in the ghetto. During the days the exhibition was shown at the gallery, there were educational activities for students from schools from Hadera and Emek Hefer. In that framework they dealt with the subject of documentation in ghetto Theresienstadt, and the importance and meaning of drawing in the ghetto. Among the events marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day some of the creations from the exhibition of the Education Center of Beit Theresienstadt Noa David and were also shown at the “Gallery on the Fence” of the Czech many representatives of the Czech embassy in Israel attended embassy, Zeitlin Str. in Tel Aviv. Passersby in the street could – including the Deputy Ambassador Karel Pažourek, the culture view the drawings and read about the exhibition. At the attaché Arthur Polzer, the director of the Czech center Lukač opening of the exhibition, its curator Ruth Lubin, the director Přibyl and the photographer of the exhibition Pavlina Schulz.

Tub’Shvat Plantings

arking the Hebrew date of Shvat the 15th, 5777, Beit a sing-along led by Pavel Koren. Together with Pavel played MTheresienstadt – in cooperation with the Pensioners and sang his daughter Sophie and his granddaughter Elah. Department of the District Council Emek Hefer and the "Shafririm Shraga Buchsbaum joined them on the clarinet. Members of Bet" school held a Nature and Music Day to which the members the “Beit El” community from Zichron Yaakov also arrived to of “Café Europe” of Emek Hefer were invited. In the first part participate in the event and brought with them presents for of the event there was a reception at Beit Theresienstadt. This the Holocaust survivors. The hall was full of plants – miniature included songs performed by students of the "Shafririm Bet" olive saplings donated by “Bet El” and potted flowers from school, a story about Tub’Shvat in ghetto Theresienstadt, a the students of the “Shafririm Bet” school. The participants meeting of the students with members of “Café Europe” and received beautiful hand-knitted woolen blankets, donated by the volunteers from Germany. Then the participants went to the hall at Eyn Hahoresh for a performance by members of the Israeli opera who had received the “Josef Zambuki” International Master Class prizes. The concert was held through the donation of Josef Zambuki, a Holocaust survivor from Jugoslavia who had survived thanks to his musical talent. Zambuki’s wife, Ruth, is a singer, she joined the event and ascended the podium to sing. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the birthday of the trees, the festival of flowering and renewal.

8 News Letter THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION THE EDUCATION CENTER

“Minorities, Democracy and Holocaust Remembrance in Israel and in Berlin” Teacher's Seminar

eit Theresienstadt, in cooperation with the Education of the seminar is to bring about a meeting of the two groups BDepartment of the Wannsee Conference House and the of teachers and to deepen knowledge and understanding of Institute “Mul Nevo”, held a seminar for teachers from Israel the topic. and Germany on the subject “Minorities, Democracy and In the framework of the seminar, during the Sukkot holidays, Holocaust Remembrance in Israel and in Berlin”. 15 teachers from Berlin visited Israel. The seminar at Beit The seminar was conceived from the common educational Theresienstadt was held on this occasion. perception according to which, coping with Holocaust The seminar continued at the beginning of April 2017, when remembrance and with the era of the National Socialist regime the Israeli teachers, accompanied by Noa David - director of the in Germany is relevant and important at a meeting between Educational Center of Beit Theresienstadt and representatives educators from Israel and Germany. Educators fulfill an of the “Mul Nevo” association traveled to Berlin and visited decisive and central role in the study of and dealing with the various memorial sites in the city and dealt with various subject confronting young people in both countries. The aim aspects connected to the subject of the seminar.

Visit by Soccer Players of “Borussia Dortmund” and “Makkabi Haifa”

or a number of years now there is a very special survivors and learned about the importance of soccer for the Frelationship between Beit Theresienstadt and various ghetto prisoners. representatives of soccer in Germany, for instance the German Soccer Association and fan organization. The fan organizations of Borussia Dortmund sees great importance in the fight against anti-Semitism and racism on soccer fields. Therefore, in the Borussia Dortmund youth team, short time in Israel they included a visit to Beit Theresienstadt. During the visit of Beit Theresienstadt, joined also by soccer players of the youth team of Makkabi Haifa, the players toured the museum, met Holocaust

Event at European Parliament

n February 7, 2017, there was an event at the European Oded Breda, the former director of Beit Theresienstadt, the OParliament against racism and Anti-Semitism in which the chairman of Makkabi Germany Mr. Alon Mayer, Mr. Roy Reiber, film “Liga Terezin”, produced by Beit Theresienstadt with the spokesman of the U21 of the Soccer Association of Germany directors Mike Schwarz and Avi Kaner, was screened. After and Ms Rozine Wood, director of the project “Kick it out” that the screening there was a panel dealing with the subject dealt with prevention of discrimination and the fostering of of violence and racism in soccer and with the education of quality among soccer clubs, fan clubs and various soccer youngsters against these phenomena. The panel included authorities.

THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION News Letter 9 THE EDUCATION CENTER

Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony

Eva Adorian Benny Davidovitz

Eva was born in 1926 in Prague, her Benny Davidovitz was born in 1930 in late parents were Ferdinand and Geronia Germany, his parents were Desider and Ehrlich. At a young age she became Mathilde. At age 5 he moved with his member of the youth movement “El Al”, father to Prague. Since his father worked together with her sister Rosa. In 1942 she as a travelling businessman, Benny, was deported with her parents to ghetto aged 6, was put into an orphanage that Theresienstadt and in 1944 her father was included a school. In October 1942 sent to Auschwitz, about a fortnight later some of the children of the orphanage Eva and her mother were also deported there. They survived – including Benny – were deported to ghetto Theresienstadt. the selection and were taken for forced labor to a factory There Benny studied in the educational framework that had working for the German Air Force. As the Red Army neared, the been established in the ghetto, he also watched soccer games prisoners were led on a death march lasting some 3 weeks played in the ghetto. and arrived at Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. There they were liberated in May 1945 by the US army. After getting infected by typhoid and other diseases, Benny was hospitalized at a ghetto hospital where he remained After recuperating, Eva and her mother, the only survivors of for a long time. In May 1944 he was deported to Auschwitz the family (besides her sister Rosa, who has succeeded to where he was made to move dead bodies out of the camp. immigrate to Israel before the war) returned to Prague. He succeeded to evade selections carried out in the camp. On a winter night he was ordered to join a “death march” Eva began to study at the faculty for social work and in 1949 – together with other prisoners, they arrived at Mauthausen she and her mother immigrated to Israel, settling in kibbutz concentration camp in Austria and there he was liberated. Neot Mordehai, where her sister Rosa lived. Eva finished her studies, receiving her BA and worked in her profession for In 1947 Benny came to pre-state Israel on board of the 18 years. Today Eva lives at kibbutz MaayanTsvi, she had 3 “illegal” immigration ship “Hamaapil haalmoni” (the anonymous children – Eli who was killed in a terror attack, Gila and Ron, immigrant). The ship was caught by the British and Benny was 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. transferred to a camp in Cyprus. In October 1947 he returned to the Land of Israel and lived at kibbutz Ashdot Yaakov. He enlisted in the Palmach (pre-state Jewish fighting unit) and after the Israeli Defense Forces were established he served in the Golani battalion. For 30 years he was in the Israeli police, he married and founded a family.

10 News Letter THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION THE EDUCATION CENTER

The Torch-lighters

Chana Malka Aviva Bar On

Chana was born in Czechoslovakia to Irma Aviva was born in Miroslav, Bohemia, and Karel Fiala. In 1942 the family was her parents were Josef and Adele deported to ghetto Theresienstadt where Winkler. After the town was annexed by Chana worked with children and youth. In Germany, her family had to leave their 1944 her mother was sent to Auschwitz house overnight and they became needy and since then she never saw her again. refugees. The family went to Brno where Two weeks later Chana was also sent they lived together with other relatives there. 1500 persons from that transport in difficult conditions. Aviva’s father and were taken that same night to the gas brother worked as forced laborers at the chambers, but Chana, with 200 girls were sent to Germany to construction of a railway line. a weapons factory where she worked until April 1945. When In January 1942 the family was deported to ghetto the Red Army approached the plant, the prisoners, under heavy Theresienstadt where they were imprisoned for three years. In shelling, went in the direction of ghetto Theresienstadt and February 1945 Aviva and her family, with about 1000 others there, after a short time, they were liberated by the Red Army. were taken by train to Switzerland. In 1949 Aviva immigrated After the war Chana returned to Prague, studied at university to Israel with the Youth Alyia and came to kibbutz Cabri. Aviva and in 1946 she arrived in the Land of Israel. She married studied at the nursing school of the Rambam hospital in Haifa and had two children, 5 grandchildren and one great- and worked as an operating room nurse until retirement. Her granddaughter. greatest achievement, as she says, is the establishment of her For the last ten years Chana deals with the subject of the family that gives her much pride and happiness. Aviva has Holocaust in Germany, she lectures in schools, is interviewed three sons, three daughters-in-law and eleven grandchildren. in Television and the press and organizes meetings with many people concerned with the topic. Chana Weingarten

Chana was born to Peretz and Lily Wertheimer Staff-Sergeant Barbara Bar Gvaram in Czechoslovakia, in the small town Znojmo, near the Austrian border. A few hours was born in 1994, studied at Hadassim before the Germans arrived there, her family boarding school, where she participated succeeded to escape, with only one suitcase. in major social projects. Four years ago They became refugees and never returned she enlisted in the IDF and served in a to their town moving from one place to meaningful and challenging position. another until they arrived in Prague. Chana’s For two years she was an instructor in father was sent to the camps of Neuengamme and Dachau, a combat engineering unit, a non-com where he was murdered. In 1943 Chana, her mother and her instructor at an armor battalion for grandmother were deported to ghetto Theresienstadt. Later advanced training, administrative non- they were sent on, in a freights train to Auschwitz, where the com of training infrastructure at Training base 1 and today grandmother was murdered. Chana and her mother were sent she is the Vehicle and Weapon Officer at Training base 8. to a labor camp and towards the end of the war they were Her grandmother on father’s side was born in a ghetto in transferred to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, both were Poland and came to Israel at age 4, her great-grandfather on ill and exhausted; her mother died there. Aged 15, Chana mother’s side worked in Tunis in labor camps after his house remained a refugee and an orphan with no father and no had been destroyed by aerial bombing. mother and without many members of her family. Throughout Barbara is second generation in Israel, she grew up with love the war Chana waited for the day of liberation, but when the to her homeland, imbued with the importance of safeguarding British entered Begen-Belsen she was so weak, emaciated the state. She is proud of her military service and intends to and sick that she did not understand that the day had arrived. study behavioral sciences and to take part in rehabilitation In 1949 she immigrated to Israel. She married, studied to and work with weak populations in Israel. become a dietician and completed her academic studies. She has three children and six grandchildren.

THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION News Letter 11 ARCHIVES

Zoltan Meisel’s Camera

Vera Meisels donated to our archives a very special item that used to do it before digital she got after WWII. Vera was born 1936 in Slovakia. She was cameras became available. deported to ghetto Theresienstadt on December 23, 1944, A little button marked lived at the children’s home L410 and remained there until with an arrow opens the liberation. film compartment. The After that she was reunited with her father Zoltan Meisels, who interesting thing about the had been imprisoned in Sachsenhausen. In this concentration internal construction of the camp Zoltan found beside the body of a German soldier a camera is that the folded camera, which he brought as a present to his daughter Vera bellows seem to contain after the war. the shutter, which is close The camera was made by Dr. August Nagel in 1932. This model to the film. used a photographic film “Vollenda 68”. The rectangular body of the camera is made of metal, covered with brown leather. Dr. August Nagel began to design his camera under the name At the front there is a little metal label bearing the name of the "Drexler & Nagel" in 1908. He went on to acquire camera “Nagel” factory. The name of the model “Vollenda” is embossed companies specializing in making foldable plates in the body on the leather covering at the top rear of the camera. At the of the camera, with a shutter and the ability for focusing, handle appears the model number “68”. to make pictures. This way he developed and founded his To operate the camera there is a little button that opens the “Nagel” company in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1928. A number of label, from there unfolds the harmonica-like bellows with the years afterwards, the “Kodak” company acquired the “Nagel” lens, which makes it possible to focus on the object. Around company which became the German branch of “Kodak”, led by the lens are the numerical data of the shutter and the focusing Nagel, who continued to design cameras. aperture, together with a little handle and a gear wheel. After The historical connection of the camera as such with the operating the camera the bellows are put back inside. Holocaust is both difficult and disturbing. But it is also the To insert the film into the camera is done the same way we personal victory of Zoltan Meisels, Vera Meisels’ father.

And this is how Vera tells it: We returned to my hometown Prešov in Slovakia. Mother lenses, shutters and all kinds of gadgetry. Then I could not never gave up hope to find father’s name on the bulletin board ask where he got the present and later, too, I had no chance at the synagogue wall, headlined: “Search for Relatives” with to talk with him about those times. Nobody can imagine the pieces of paper written by returning survivors, searching pride and the happiness I had, getting a present from father for their loved ones and asking if maybe somebody heard only for me - his darling. or knows something about them. Day after day mother went to check if there is any mention about my father and Father recuperated and found in himself the strength to returned disappointed. Rumors made the round, originating begin his life anew and that was admirable. It seems to me from survivors who had seen father in Sachsenhausen. That that father returned to his former self, enjoying life and his went on for a number of months and hope diminished. In achievements again. Mother, on the other hand, was not the meantime we did not know what to do, we knew that able to overcome the loss of her parents and sister, she was if father lives, he would return to Prešov. We stayed some chronically depressed but functioned well in day-to-day life. more, another day and still one more in nerve-wracking My camera is flawless even today. I used it to shoot pictures anticipation. on many occasions. It immigrated to Israel with me on board At the end of August my sister encountered a man coming of the “Galila” in 1949. The kibbutz did not confiscate it towards her – and suddenly they recognized one another!!! from me or maybe they did not know about it, because the Father met my sister Aliska on the sidewalk near the hotel. remainder of the items in my “lift” became the possession of The miracle and the happiness were indescribable to see the commune. Among the bunch of my comrades at the Youth father and Aliska entering our room. The family was reunited! Aliyah I became “the photographer” of the group. Moreover, Father sat me on his knees (as if I still were a little girl) and Vollenda served me at all kinds of events, including my time gave me the present from his journey – the Vollenda camera. in the “Nahal” unit. When somebody asked me where I got It looks like a little black brick and when you press the button the camera from, I answered proudly: “Father brought it to on the side, some kind of bellows opens with a number of me from the concentration camps”.

12 News Letter THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION ARCHIVES

Zuzana Růžičková Celebrates her 90th Birthday

Zuzana Růžičková, a survivor of ghetto Theresienstadt, who were brought to Bergen-Belsen. became a famous cembalo player, was born on January 14, After the war she was accepted 1927 in Plzeň, then Czechoslovakia. She started playing the at the Academy for Stage Art in piano at age 9 and her teacher, who realized her musical Prague, concentrated on playing talent, encouraged her to study playing the cembalo. Růžičková the cembalo and ancient music. In intended to continue her studies at a well-established music 1952 she married the composer school in Paris but the German occupation of Czechoslovakia Viktor Kalabis. She appeared at prevented this. In January 1942, she was deported, together concerts all over Europe, played with her family to ghetto Theresienstadt. There Růžičková with the Czech Philharmonic did not abandon her love for music. She received lessons in Orchestra and recorded works Zuzana – picture harmony by the pianist and composer Gideon Klein, who was Růžičková until 2004, when her husband fell from the Internet site: a ghetto prisoner too. ill and she suspended her work to http://www.jsebestyen.org Růžičková’s father died in the ghetto and in December 1943, she care for him. Today she is active in was sent with her mother to Auschwitz. She had volunteered music organizations dedicated to to join a transport because she did not want to be separated interpretation and preservation of old music, the discovery from her mother. Before her deportation to Auschwitz she of musical talents and she manages the Viktor Kalabis and copied one of Bach’s compositions and took the copy with Zuzana Růžičková Foundation. her. From Auschwitz Růžičková and her mother were deported to Hamburg in Germany. Towards the end of the war they We wish her a heartfelt mazal tov, health and happiness.

THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION News Letter 13 ARTICLES

Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck – Spiritual Leader in Ghetto Theresienstadt (1943 – 1945) Dr. Margalit Shlain

On January 28, 1943, rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck, Even while having no official position Baeck was an influential spiritual leader of German Jewry and its partner for many personalities among the Jewish leadership in the official representative to the authorities, ghetto and especially for the Jewish elders Dr. Paul Epstein and was deported from Berlin to ghetto rabbi Dr. Benjamin Murmelstein. Theresienstadt by order of Adolf Eichmann, Baeck’s Relationship with Epstein together with the heads of the Jewish Baeck knew Epstein well. They had come from Berlin at the same community that had remained in Germany, time, the latter to serve as second Jewish Elder in the ghetto. They Austria and Bohemia-Moravia and also had worked together between 1933 and 1941 in the “National personalities who held key positions in Representation of the German Jews”, and also at the leadership of those communities. the “National Association of the Jews in Germany”. Immediately after his arrival, Leo Baeck was added as honorary member to the Council of Elders in the Baeck’s relationship with Epstein in Theresienstadt was tense. Baeck ghetto, as a guest of the council, a position without any competence, disagreed on several occasions with Epstein’s behavior as Jewish representative only. Thanks to his personality and the positions Elder. For example, the long-lasting conflict between him and Dr. he had filled in the past: chairman of the “National Association of Karl Loewenstein, commander of the (Jewish) police and head of the the Jews of Germany”, and earlier as president of the “National ghetto security services, in the matter of discrimination regarding Representation of the Jews of Germany” and thanks to his central nutrition of old people in the ghetto. According to Loewenstein, position in organizations in Germany and in the Jewish world, Rabbi Baeck tended toward his position and disputed Epstein’s view Baeck had a special standing in ghetto Theresienstadt where he on this subject. Preference of food distribution to young people became a spiritual authority for many. was given by the Council of Elders in ghetto Theresienstadt in the He demonstrated solidarity with the ghetto prisoners and in spite of attempt to save the young generation – the nation’s future, whereas his age and position he insisted, at first to be included in the general Epstein supported them because their important work was the basis work roster and for about four months, until his 70th birthday he of the continuing existence of the ghetto. As rabbi and old person, worked, pushing garbage vehicles. the distress of the miserable old people from Germany was near After that Baeck dedicated himself to social work, mainly for the to Baeck’s heart, he found it hard to accept the preferential food neglected old people from Germany. At that time he did not hold any rations of the young people at the expense of the old ones, decided official position but he contributed to the camp by his prestige, he on by the ghetto Elders, who were younger than he by a generation. strengthened and consoled and gave the prisoners hope at times In spite of that, Baeck did not openly criticize Epstein during his stay of crisis. in the ghetto and also in his conversations after the war. Spiritual Shepherd Facing the German Deceptions Baeck’s most important contribution to life in the ghetto were his In spring of 1944 Theresienstadt went through an intensive sermons and lectures, on topics about the essence of Jewishness “beautification”, coupled with mass transports, in preparation for and philosophy in general. These encouraged the prisoners and a visit by a delegation of the International Red Cross, on June 23, broadened their worldview and brought many assimilated Jews 1944. closer to Jewish tradition. “This rabbi brought us our tradition Leo Baeck marked the day of the visit of the international delegation like a present. The bible in the spirit of the Enlightenment". Baeck as one of the most difficult of all during the existence of the ghetto; strengthened their spirit and brought consolation and hope to many the bitter disappointment of the Jewish leadership and the Jews in in general and in addition to that, he held private meetings with the ghetto caused them by the representatives from abroad, who people who approached him, asking for his advice. did not demonstrate even a small effort to find out the truth about As a rabbi, Leo Baeck served as spiritual shepherd of the Jewish Theresienstadt, “this undermined our morale. We felt abandoned prisoners. “When he walked on Saturdays to synagogue, he strode and forgotten”. upright, wearing festive clothes, in the Magdeburg barracks, the atmosphere of Shabbat was felt”, he participated in communal In August 1944 Baeck was forced to take part in a further deception prayer being held in many places and at all hours. by the German propaganda apparatus, in the “documentary” He treated everyone with respect and tolerance, like for instance propaganda film that presents – seemingly authentic and objectively the Catholics in the camp who had been deported to Theresienstadt – Theresienstadt as “Jewish Settlement Area”. The camp commander because they were “Jews according to the racial laws”. These Karl Rahm made sure personally that internationally renowned especially respected him and he was often a guest at their meetings. prisoner took part in the film, among them Leo Baeck is seen clearly.

14 News Letter THERESIENSTADT MARTYRS REMEMBRANCE ASSOCIATION ARTICLES

Baeck’s Relationship with Murmelstein forbidden to sacrifice him". Toward the end of October 1944 Murmelstein, the acting Jewish When Baeck learned that some of the deported prisoners had Elder, was tasked to reorganize the disarranged ghetto that had survived, this strengthened his conviction that he had been right lost within one month about two thirds of its population. The Jewish in his difficult decision not to tell in the ghetto the truth about self-administration in ghetto Theresienstadt was reorganized and annihilation. on December 13, 1944, the German command post appointed a Among the prisoners who remained in ghetto Theresienstadt there new Council of Elders, headed by Murmelstein, who was now made were some who did not agree with Baeck’s fateful decision to hide officially the third Elder of the Jews, representing the Jewsof the truth from the prisoners and there were others who agreed with Germany and also head of the Council of Elders and of the Social it. But there is no doubt that the decision to hide the information Department of the Jewish self-administration in the ghetto. about the fate of the prisoners deported to the “East” from the Baeck, who in fact managed the Social Department already since endangered masses cost Baeck a heavy personal price. autumn 1944, attempted to enlarge the social institutions, to Baeck’s Commitment and Devotion to the Prisoners upgrade the food rations and living conditions of old people, most Liberated from Concentration Camps of which hailed from Germany and Austria. This subject Murmelstein From April 20, until May 6, transports arrived in Theresienstadt that and Baeck saw eye to eye and cooperated fully to better the situation. included some 13,000 prisoners evacuated from concentration On April 16, 1945, a delegation sent by Kurt Becher arrived in camps, “muselmans” afflicted with tuberculosis and typhoid fever, the ghetto: Dr. Rudolf Kastner – representative of the JOINT, and whose integration in the ghetto was accompanied by enormous Eichmann’s men: Hermann Krumey and Otto Hunsche to ensure the difficulties. The impossibility to separate the great number of arriving safety of the Jewish prisoners in the ghetto. During this visit, Kastner prisoners from the old-timers in the ghetto, the lack of medication, met Leo Baeck and asked him to pass on to the ghetto prisoners medical staff and minimal hygienic conditions caused the spread “that all will be liberated in the near future and that there is no of typhoid fever among them, which became an epidemic during apprehension of the last hours”. the last days before liberation and afterwards. With no choice, the Baeck Dealing with Information on Annihilation of Jews newcomers were put up in exceedingly crowded conditions and in the “East” and with Critique of Him were actually sentenced to a cruel death. In an interview after the war Baeck admitted that already in August 1943, when he was in Theresienstadt, he heard from a Czech On May 5, 1945, the Germans left Theresienstadt and Murmelstein engineer named Gruenberg about the existence of gas chambers resigned from his position as Jewish Elder – Leo Baeck replaced him. in Auschwitz. These news supported information received by Baeck After liberation the prisoners with typhoid fever demanded to lift while he was still in Berlin, about killings of Jews by gas, in the the quarantine and to let them join the other prisoners of the camp. summer of 1941. Baeck already then concluded “that the fate of Leo Baeck entered the hospital barracks and told them that lifting Jews deported to the East was either forced labor or death”. Baeck the quarantine would cause mortality among the liberated prisoners hesitated if he should convince Gruenberg to repeat his information and that he had come to stay with them. He was not able to help to the Council of Elders. He decided to keep the secret for himself most of them to return to life, but he came to give them love. In the and not reveal it to anyone, so it would not become known in the end they insisted that he leave so as not to be infected. ghetto, quashing the prisoners hope to live. A special messenger came to the camp and informed Baeck that he In May 1945, immediately after liberation, Baeck admitted to had permission to immediately leave for England but he refused the his acquaintance Heinrich Liebrecht who had been deported to offer. He believed that he had to remain with the sick in the camp, Auschwitz and returned to Theresienstadt – that he knew that those who were in need of his consolation, which eased their life; and also deported from the camp had been sentenced to death, and that he to bury the dead honorably. had hesitated if a Jewish resistance should have been organized, On June 21, 1945, Baeck was driven by the Russians to Prague which would have brought immediate annihilation or not to do it: and then flew to Paris, on July 3, he landed in London, to meet his "because it could be supposed that they will kill those unfit for heavy daughter there. labor and those able to work, will be sent to the war industry until they would die from hunger – I knew of this plan of the Gestapo. Rabbi Leo Baeck was the spiritual leader and model for the prisoners At the time I had pangs of conscience if to shorten the torture of in Theresienstadt, in the struggle to keep their identity and their those destined for deportation by murder caused by ourselves – Jewishness, he symbolized the victory of cultured men over the or to take the chance that some will survive, even if only a few. German endeavors to deny their humanity – to make them into In the end I told myself: Even if only one remains alive, it would be numbers – into nothing.

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